Chair and seat and back therefor



Feb. 17, 1953 MCDQNALD 2,628,660

CHAIR AND SEAT AND BACK THEREFOR Filed Jan. 11, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR 0:9V/0 ME DONALD YZZ V l/ I E '/o\\ {2 r/ \I g a. c;::::::::11:11:11; BY W f ATTORNEY Fb. 17, 1953 MCDONALD 2,628,660

CHAIR AND SEAT AND BACK THEREFOR Filed Jan. 11, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR.

FE. 0/7100 A12 pow/740 Patented Feb. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAIR AND SEAT AND BACK THEREFOR David McDonald, Birmingham, Ala.

Application January 11, 1950, Serial No. 138,017

' 2 Claims.

My present invention relates to a chair and to an improved seat and back therefor.

An object of my invention is to provide, in a chair, a seat and back structure comprising a sheet of flexible material suchas cloth, plastic or the like which may be quickly and easily attached to and removed from a chair frame, permitting the seat and back to be removed for storing indoors when desired in order to preserve the seat and back, and facilitating the removal of the seat and back for cleaning, repair and for similar purposes.

My invention contemplates a seat and back for a chair comprising a sheet of cloth or material of similar characteristics as to flexibility and strength in which the upper end of the back portion isprovided with a bight or loop disposed to receive a rod or the like, the ends of the .rod being adapted to bear against portions of the side frame members of the chair thereby to secure the flexible back to the chair, and a' seat portioncarrying a similar bight through which passes a cross rod likewise adapted to cooperate with the side frames of the chair adjacent the front of the seat in holding the front end of the combined seat and back to the chair frame.

My invention further contemplates a combined seat and back made of fabric or the like in which the seat portion carries a pillow whereby the seat may be connected to the front of thechair frame by folding the pillow carrying "portion under and then over the front cross member of the chair frame, thus to eiiectively secure the entire seat to the frame without the necessity of employing the aforementioned cross rod at'the front or seat portion of the chair.

My invention contemplates a seat and back comprising a sheet of flexible material which may be attached to the chair by means of members which merely engage rather than pass through or are otherwise attached to the chair frame members, thereby making the seat and back readily removable.

A further object is to provide a flexible seat and back structure of the character designated inwhich the pillow is carried in an elongated bight' formed in the seat end of the flexible sheet of material, thus making an integral assembly of the seat, back and pillow.

A chair and a seat and back therefor illustrating the features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a chair embodying my improved seat and back;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken generally along lines IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken along line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken along line IVIV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental front elevational view of one corner of the seat portion of the seat and back and the associated chair framework adjacent thereto:

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken along line VI-VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a detail sectional view taken along line V'IIVII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a fragmental front elevational view of a portion of the back of the seat and back and associated framework;

Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 and showing a slightly modified form of my invention;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken along line X-X of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is'a detail sectional view taken along line XIXI of Fig. 9;

Fig. .12 is a detail sectional view taken along line XII-XII of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a fragmental rear elevational view of one of the corners of the back of the seat and back and associated framework of the chair shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 14 is a front elevational view showing a detail of one of the corners of the seat portion and associated framework;

Fig. 15 is a detail sectional view taken generally along line XV-XV of Fig. 14; and,

Fig. 16 is a detail sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI of Fig. 14.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive I show my improved seat and back associated with a chair embodying the features of the chair shown, described and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 6,899, filed February '7, 1948, now Patent No. 2,557,671. As shown, the chair frame comprises a pair of base members [0 and a pair of spaced upwardly disposed rear frame members I2. Each member l0 continues forwardly and is inclined upwardly and rearwardly to provide portions I3, is then bent forwardly and substantially horizontal to provide arm portions 14, and thence downwardly to provide substantially vertically depending portions [6. The upper ends of the rear side members 12 are joined by a cross bar Hand the depending portions 16 are joined by a front cross bar l8, forming the front of the seat portion of the chair.

In the manner disclosed in my abovementioned co-pending application, the upper ends of the members I2 are provided with semi-cylindrical clamp portions |2a disposed to partially encircle the upper cross member I]. A bolt l9 passes through the clamps and has thereon a nut 2| to secure the members I2 to the ends of the cross bar I].

In similar manner to that just described, the portions [6 are provided with the curved clamps I Go on their ends disposed to partially encircle the front cross bar 18. A bolt 22 having thereon a nut 23 secures the members 16 to the ends of the cross bar l8.

My improved seat and back comprises a sheet of flexible material 24 such as cloth, plastic or the like. At the upper end of the back portion I provide a bight or loop 26. Disposed in the bight 26 is a cross rod 21 which is adapted to project when the upper end of the back portion of the seat and back member is wrapped about the cross member I! in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the rod 21 is slid into the bight, its ends resting against the members l2 approximately at the point of bend of the sections I 2a, thus securely holding the upper end of the back to the cross rod [1.

In the form of my invention now being described I preferably form in the seat portion of the sheet 24 a rearwardly elongated bight 28. In this bight I sew or otherwise secure a sufficient amount of stufling to form a pillow indicated at 29. Alternately, I may provide the bight 2B and insert a removable pillow. With the upper end of the back secured to the cross member I! in the manner already explained I secure the seat portion to the cross member I 8 by folding the pillow carrying portion under and over the cross rod l8 as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6. It will be seen that when a person sit on the pillow the weight of the body causes both of the ends of the seat and back to tighten about the rods l1 and I8, thus holding the seat and back firmly to the two cross members.

In Figs. 9 to 16 inclusive I show a slightly modified form of my invention in which the seat and back is identical at the back and seat ends. In this arrangement I provide a sheet 2411 of flexible material such as cloth already. mentioned and sew in each end thereof a small bight 3!. In each of the bights 3| I place one of the cross rods 21. As before stated, the rods 21 are longer than the width of the sheet of material forming the seat and back whereby the ends thereof project beyond the width of the sheet. As shown in the detail views of the drawings, I assemble this modification of the seat and back by wrapping the upper and lower ends about the cross members l1 and I8, respectively. The rods 21 are put in place and project outwardly to engage the ends of the clamps Mia and He in the manner clearly illustrated in Figs. 12 and 16. The seat and back ends of the sheet of material 24a are thus effectively secured to the framework of the chair, and yet may be quite easily removed simply by loosening the sheet by unwinding the same from around the cross members I! and I8 and withdrawing the rods 21.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 9 to 16 inclusive it will be seen that the 4 ends of the seat and back are duplicates, and if desired a pillow 32, indicated in dotted lines Fig. 10, and which is separate from the sheet of material 24a may be employed by laying the same in place.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved chair embodying an improved seat and back which is simple and economical of manufacture and which may be readily attached to and detached from a chair frame. While I have shown the same in association with a particular form of chair frame it will be apparent that my improved seat and back may be associated with other forms of chair frames. However, there is a definite advantage in associating the same with the type of chair frame shown and described in my above mentioned co-pending application in that the depressions formed at the point of juncture between the rear members 12 and the clamps Ila serve admirably to provide a seat for the ends of the rod 21 at the back of the seat and back structure. Likewise, and as will be apparent, the clamps l2a and 16a afford adequate abutments for the ends of the rods 21 when using the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 9 to 16 inclusive.

While I have shown my invention in but two forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a chair embodying base members connected to rearwardly disposed upwardly extending frame members joined adjacent their upper ends by a cross member and other frame members connected to said base members and joined by a cross member at the front of the seat portion of the chair, a seat and back structure comprising a sheet of flexible material having a bight in one end thereof and having a portion extending downwardly from the bight to form the back rest of the chair, said end carrying the bight being wrapped about the upper cross member, a cross rod in the bight having ends projecting past the edges of the sheet and engaging the forward sides of the rearwardly disposed frame members, an elongated bight extending from said back rest to the front of the chair and having an end portion wrapped around and secured to the second mentioned cross member, and a quantity of stuffing material cooperating with the second mentioned bight to form a cushion-like seat member for the chair.

2. In a chair embodying base members connected to rearwardly disposed upwardly extending frame members joined adjacent their upper ends by a cross member and other frame members connected to said base members and joined by a cross member at the front of the seat portion of the chair, said frame members having semi-cylindrical clamps on the ends thereof receiving and supporting said cross members, a. seat and back structure comprising a sheet of flexible material, a bight in the end of the sheet of material at the back portion thereof, the bight end of the sheet partially encircling the first mentioned cross member, a cross rod in said bight having projecting ends engaging portions of the rearwardly disposed frame members and holding the sheet about said first. mentioned cross member, a rearwardly extending elongated bight at the seat end of the sheet, and a cushion in Number said elongated bight, the seat portion of the sheet 59 403 being attached to the second mentioned cross 1298496 member by passing the cushion under and then 5 2006277 over said second mentioned cross member. 2:090:562

DAVID MCDONALD.

REFERENCES CITED Number The following references are of record in the 239,131 file of this patent: 247,370

6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Jouett Nov. 6, 1866 Haight Mar. 25, 1919 Olsen June 25, 1935 Walter Apr. 17, 1937 Nelson Apr. 5, 1949 Wilson Dec. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Sept. 3, 1925 Great Britain Feb. 18, 1926 

